No work. Sh*t pay. Why stay?
Where’s the work? Where’s the student jobs, the internships, the ongoing pathways for people finishing university? We don’t know, but with your help, we hope to drag our graduates back from Australia, and find them jobs that pay them well, support them, and allow them to flourish in the working world.
In recent years, students have faced skyrocketing living costs, stagnant wages, and increasingly limited part-time job options. At the same time, more graduates are packing their bags and heading overseas to Australia, the UK, and beyond — not because they want to, but because they feel they have no choice. This was highlighted to us, as after consultation with students, availability of employment was the most identified concern among the options presented.
n past annual budgets graduate/intern opportunities in the public service have been slashed without consideration of their futures. Already, we've seen hundreds of roles discontinued, critical talent recruitment systems (such as the Government Legal Network) paralysed, and a record number of people leaving Aotearoa. We are simply being outbid for Kiwi talent, and rather than holding on with an iron grip, this government is actively letting go.
Our position is clear: It is shortsighted and irrational to force any graduate to look overseas for work; as such, our campaign seeks the following:
Reinstatement of all "paused" graduate programmes.
A clear directive to place emphasis on education-to-workforce transitions within publicly owned organisations.
Expansion of graduate roles and internship opportunities, in line with the growing student population.
